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“Are you sure, Akron?” she says, eyeballing me.
Blackness edges my vision, and each spoken word becomes increasingly murky as the seconds pass.
“Yes,” he says.
I have no doubt he is evil... but so is she.
If Lucinda and Cherie knew the kinds of people I associate with, they’d be appalled. A small voice in the back of my head makes me question whether this life is really better than the Summer Court.
Then Elva’s face flashes before my eyes, and I know it is.
After another long moment, the hand loosens around my neck. I tumble to the floor, coughing up water. Akron and Esmeralda keep doing that strange whisper-shouting while I gasp for air.
My throat burns with the sting of salt water. On the ground, something glints.
It’s an earring, a gold hoop with a Black Opal shard inlaid into it like an eye. My eyes widen and I slide my hand towards the earring. It matches the one Esmeralda has in her other ear.
The opal lies glittering in the dying sunlight, taunting me towards it. It’s not all black. There are swirls of browns and reds, blackish clouds with flecks of gold, and just a hint of blue.
Akron takes a step towards me. Coughing to distract him, I snatch the small piece of jewelry as fast as I can. I stumble to my feet, clutching my prize in my mouth.
A whir comes from the aqua-chair, and Esmeralda looks at me. There is no apology in her eyes for what she did to me, and I don’t expect one.
“Repeat what you hear in this room, and I’ll have you filleted.” Esmeralda’s unnerving eyes studied mine before she says, “The Princess is in trouble, but there is no way for you to know that. She has been taken. We think it is the resistance, but we can’t be sure.”
My brain catches one word and holds it close to my chest. Princess.
Dozens of news reports cycle through my brain. All of them had mentioned the heir to the Winter Court throne who ran away, their heir who disappeared.
There’s no way... right?
Even as I ask the question of myself, I realize I’m being foolish.
Of course, there is. The Northern Courts are so secluded and secretive that they’ve never released photos of anything but executions and the court leaders. Princesses and princes don’t last long in the Winter Courts.
Elva must’ve fought to survive her entire life.
A strange emotion bloomed in my chest—a tenderness and desire to protect. I’d never felt anything like this before.
“Where have they taken her?” I ask.
“The North,” she replies. “We suspect she is in Ice City, but it is impossible to get there right now. Even with Iter Dust.”
Only Fae can use that dust, so I can be sure this is a dig at me.
But Esmeralda doesn’t know I’m also a shifter… For a moment, I am grateful I’ve never shifted in the city. I told no one but Elva that I was a shifter.
I don’t know why she’s telling me this, but honestly, I don’t care.
The Mer looks at me with pity, like she knows Elva is already dead. Akron’s lips are in a tight line, and I see the purple magic licking his fingertips.
There is no doubting his violent intent.
Time to get out of here.
I stand up. “Thank you both, I really—”
“Don’t thank me, jackass. You’re fired,” Akron bites out.
